Modernisation for a purpose
James Forsyth 6:46pm
Just before David Cameron came on stage they played a video looking back at his four years in charge of the party. It concentrated on the modernising moments — the huskie hugging, the efforts to get more women into Parliament and the rest. When Cameron did these things, some critics mocked them, claimed that they showed he was all style and no substance. But today we saw what those moments have made possible. Cameron devoted his pre-election conference speech to a classic conservative message, that the big state is the problem. Crucially, this message is getting a hearing. It is not being dismissed as those ideological Tories banging on again. Modernisation has achieved one of its principal purposes.
Earlier this week a senior shadow Cabinet member said to me that the Tories had to do three things in Manchester: show that they were the party with the best plan for paying down the deficit, that they were a modern party who would put the poor first and demonstrate their radicalism. Two out of these three goals have been accomplished. The Tories are now far ahead of Labour in the deficit debate even if they still have a way to go. Tory policies on education and Cameron’s impassioned attack on the obscenely high marginal tax rates faced by those moving from welfare into work showed that the party really does care about the poor. On the radicalism front, though, I felt less convinced. Tory schools policy is bold but on welfare there is still a way to go while the rest of the public services agenda is relatively threadbare.
The news that Iain Duncan-Smith will serve in a Cameron government is particularly welcome. At the moment the reality of Tory policy on welfare is less impressive than Cameron’s rhetoric on the subject. But one assumes that IDS would not have accepted the offer unless he had been assured that his ideas would in some way become policy. If a Cameron government does welfare and education reform and implements the growth agenda that I wrote about this week then it will be a transformative, Conservative government.
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John Wightman
October 8th, 2009 7:31pm Report this commentThe boy done well. Three cheers!
Ray
October 8th, 2009 9:08pm Report this commentHopefully Ian Duncan-Smith will be allowed to succeed where Frank Field was not.
James W
October 8th, 2009 9:42pm Report this commentJust imagine if Frank Field did the right thing and crossed the floor to support IDS in the necessary transformation. That would really signal that radical and much needed change was about to be implemented.
Fatbloke on tour
October 8th, 2009 11:32pm Report this commentHave I got this right:
Scratchy said that he is ready to be tested.
Given his past, the question must be ...
... for what?
Surely lightning hasn't struck twice.
He will have to blame the toilet seat.
Fatbloke on tour
October 8th, 2009 11:51pm Report this commentIt just gets worse and worse.
Nine stories, seven photos, what is happening in SpectatorLand? Was it the Tory Party conference or an audience with Scratchy?
Oh well at least his wife and his political wife got a look in.
That is Sniffy and Sam the Bolter if you didn't know although which is which is open to question.
Finally BBC the todays finalists in the BBC "Tory Arsewipe / Fellow traveller / Useful idiot" competition:
Eddie "The gay from the Tay" Mair vs Nick "Guido is my sewer" Robinson.
I can feel the dry boak coming on just thinking about it.
TGF UKIP
October 8th, 2009 11:59pm Report this commentOf course what James, in semi cheerleading mode, forbears to mention is the excruciating video which preceded this one featuring some semi-articulate git in big glasses banging on, between "yer knows", about why we should all feel guilty about Africa.
I assume the git in question was some sainted celeb pop star, but it really did say an awful lot about why Dave really can say "I see myself as the heir to Blair."
Keith
October 9th, 2009 8:55am Report this commentFatty, can you let us have that in English please?
Your rantings are becoming increasingly unintelligible.
Keith
Vulture
October 9th, 2009 9:32am Report this commentI've managed to coach Fatberk to the point of being able to put simple words down. Unfortunately he is still some way off being able to string them together to construct a coherent sentence. But bear with us - its a long term project.
frank goddard
October 9th, 2009 12:14pm Report this commentKieth,I also am getting fed up of this "Fatslob-on tour".I do not like people who hide behind such stupid names,to me they are cowards at showing their hand.Could this be that overbearing,overweight,(pity his secretary when doing his office calistenics)R.D. John Prescot??? Sounds like that sort of rhetoric you get from low life of this stature.
Frank G....English pensioner
RH
October 9th, 2009 12:57pm Report this commentFatty can you move your tour on to another site? Your inane meaningless drivel is irritating and pointless.
Donna
October 9th, 2009 1:28pm Report this commentre: fatboy
Maybe he's just permanently drunk. That would also explain his girth.
Simon Orr
October 9th, 2009 3:35pm Report this comment@James W
Frank Field shouldn't have to cross the floor, just make him a junior minister under IDS anyway. Or at least get him involved and onside on any welfare bills. He has form in speaking up against his party in the best interests of the poor.
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